Mental Health & Wellbeing Practitioner - Spinal Community Services

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• Permanent, part-time position working 32 hours per week

• Social Worker/Occupational Therapist - Senior Clinician (Grade 3) 

• Located at Royal Talbot Rehabilitation and working in the Community 

• Generous salary packaging + super + 5 weeks annual leave (pro-rata)  

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About the Victorian Spinal Cord Service  
 
The Victorian Spinal Cord Service (VSCS) is a specialised state-wide service that offers lifelong care to people who sustain a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales. Inpatient services are provided at the Austin and Royal Talbot campuses of Austin Health. The VSCS also provides community facing and outpatient programs. 

VSCS Spinal Community Services includes the Spinal Community Integration Service (SCIS), a community facing service supporting clients establish themselves in the community in the first 12 months following spinal rehabilitation, the Spinal Outreach Service (SOS) supporting clients manage common complications of spinal cord injury that can lead to significant health issues and re-hospitalisation, and several outpatient clinics offered to assist clients proactively manage their SCI related health. 

About the role 

You’ll join a welcoming and supportive team who genuinely enjoy their work and the contribution they make to supporting our clients live their best life following a spinal cord injury. 

A regular day will see you:   

• Support clients to connect with their community following inpatient rehabilitation. 

• Empower clients in managing their SCI related Health in order to participate in a full life    

• Provide support and consultation to clients and their community providers   

• Be a specialist resource for the SCS team and wider VSCS staff regarding clients with complex psychosocial, mental health & wellbeing issues. 

About you 

You will be someone who has excellent communication skills and a strong commitment to continuous improvement. You’ll bring energy and drive to your work, and have a positive, growth mindset to your own development and that of the team and service. 

To be successful in this role you’ll bring with you:

• Recognised degree in Social Work or Occupational Therapy with a minimum of 5 years’ experience, and be eligible for AASW Membership or registered with AHPRA  

• Demonstrated expert knowledge and understanding of mental health issues in the context of spinal cord injury or similar traumatic injury.  

• Comprehensive knowledge of health, disability, and adjustment issues for clients with a spinal cord injury and insight into the psychosocial impact of trauma and acquired disability 

• Experience in working with Mental Health systems and navigating Mental Health services    

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of the multidisciplinary team and with multiple key stakeholders, supporting the team in navigating complexity in clients’ circumstances    

Our benefits 

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including: 

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

Work with us! 

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures. 

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date. 

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Liz Clements, Program Manager at Liz.Clements@austin.org.au

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details. 

Application closing date: Wednesday 10 December 2025